CORDOVA, Ill. – Brandon Booher ruled Top Alcohol Dragster for the second week in a row and Dale Brand won Top Alcohol Funny Car over Frank Manzo, running his lifetime win-loss record against the reigning world champ to 2-0 at this weekend's NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Summer Showdown at Cordova Dragway Park.

Booher, who went the distance for the first time in his career just two weeks ago at Chicago's Route 66 Raceway, won a tight final over veteran Robin Samsel, 5.45 to 5.46, after taking an even closer semifinal win over Dave Hirata. "Both of those guys stepped up," Booher said. "I was shooting for .40-flat or a .41 in the final, but I got a little greedy and shook and spun the tires. There he was – boom, right beside me – but the car made it through the shake without me having to pedal. I probably wrung out both gears a little more than I should have, but we got it done."

As in Chicago, Booher qualified father Aaron's AB Construction dragster in the No. 1 spot, this time with a 5.41 at 266.64 mph. He was right back in the .40s and mid-260s in all three rounds of eliminations, including a 5.47, 264 in the opening round that eliminated returning veteran Paul Fishburn, and a 5.44 at 265 in the semi's that was just enough to hold off Hirata.

"Hirata sawed the Tree down, picked up a tenth, and almost beat us," Booher said. "We picked up in that round, too, because we weren't taking him for granted. This car has always been consistent but now it's consistently quick. It was a little stagnant the last few years, but now, instead of a car that can run .45 to .50 and a driver who can cut a light, we're running good, too. People come up against us, and it's not just 'Don't screw up and we've got this' anymore. They know we're here to play."

Samsel had his best outing to date, stopping Norwalk winner Marty Thacker, who surprisingly qualified just seventh, in the first round and 2012 Central Region champion and defending event winner Gord Gingles, who red-lighted, in the semi's. Samsel was off the mark with a solid .069 reaction time in the final, but Booher had it all the way with a .022 light and slightly better e.t.

Beating Manzo will always go down as an upset, but Brand was right with the perennial world champ all weekend. "Gainesville this year was the only other time we've ever lined up against Frank, but we just happened to be in the other lane when he had trouble," Brand said. "I don't look at that as beating Frank Manzo. This was a little more legit."

Brand, who reached his first national event final his last time out, qualified No. 1 with a 5.67, then Manzo gained the upper hand through the early rounds of eliminations. Manzo qualified just third with a 5.75, then ran another 5.75 in the opening round against Wayne Butler while Brand slipped to a 5.80 that was still enough to take out second-year driver Todd Robertson. In the semifinals, Brand and Manzo claimed identical 5.72 to 5.76 wins – Brand over Ray Drew and Manzo over No. 2 qualifier Andy Bohl.

Manzo had the two best reaction times of the entire event - .033 and .025 – but Brand got off the mark first in the final, .051 to .079, and pulled ahead for a 5.671 (low e.t.) to 5.70 win.

"Frank brings out the best in us," Brand said. "Anytime you can get past the best – and that's what he is, obviously – that's a win to remember. He's the gold standard of Alcohol Funny Car racing, the guy every team out here shoots for."

With his third final-round appearance in a row, Manzo is up to eighth in the national standings and has fewer starts than anyone else in the Top 10. Brand, racing for the first time in two months, now has reached at least the semifinals everywhere he's raced this year, including a semifinal appearance in Gainesville and a runner-up in Charlotte."

Reigning Comp Elimination NHRA Lucas Oil National champion Bruno Massel, Woodridge, Ill., qualified No. 1 and took out the No. 2 qualifier Mark Kirkman, Monmouth, Ill., for the win and the trophy with a lap of 7.097 seconds at 180.24 mph while Matthew Lund outran Larry Vierregger at both ends of the track for the win in Super Stock.

West Central Division Champions Tom Schmidt and Phil Unruh continued to lead their fields as Schmidt drove around Ashton Premer in the Jerry Haas Racecars Top Sportsman class and Unruh overcame a starting line advantage to beat David Harrington in the Fineline Madcap Top Dragster class. Schmidt went 6.954 at 187.73 in his '63 Corvette and Unruh clocked in at 6.649 on his 6.63 index in his '11 dragster.

In the NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series it was Jay Turner picking up his first win of the year in the Top Fuel Harley class beating 2-time event winner Tommy Grimes. Turner went 6.136 at 224.66 to take home the trophy. Dale Nilles sweep the Pro Dragster class qualifying No. 1 with low e.t. of the event then knocking out David Larson in the final with a 7.395 second run at 162.98 mph.

Shawn Anderson ran better on both ends of the track to take out Luke Bogacki in Super Comp and Jim Davis held on to win Super Gas when Dave Johnson broke out.

CORDOVA, Ill. – NHRA West Central division racers converged on Cordova Dragway Park for the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Summer Showdown presented by Matco Tools. The event is the fourth of six events that run through September where competitors will earn points toward both national and divisional championships.

Racers in eight different classes along with seven motorcycle classes, including the NHRA Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Series made qualifying and time trial runs today with eliminations in all classes scheduled for Saturday. The Top Alcohol Dragsters and Funny Cars made a pair of qualifying runs as did the Top Fuel Harley and Pro Dragster classes. Round 1 of eliminations for these classes is schedule for Saturday evening at 5 p.m. and continues into the night. The division's Fineline Madcap Top Dragsters and Jerry Haas Racecars Top Sportsman are also in action this weekend with a final qualifying pass Saturday morning before beginning eliminations.

Gates open Saturday at 7 a.m. with final qualifying at 8 a.m. followed by round 1 of eliminations.

Tickets are $25 on Saturday for adults, children 6-12 are $5 and kids 5 and under are free with a paid adult. Cordova Dragway Park is located 3 miles north of Cordova on Highway 84; 10 miles North of I-80 exit No. 1. For more information please call the track, (309) 654-2110, or visit www.cordovadrag.com.

The following are Friday's final results from the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, West Central Division Summer Showdown presented by Matco Tools:

CORDOVA, Ill. - Cordova Dragway Park will host the Summer Showdown presented by Matco Tools on June 21-22. The event is one of 44 scheduled across the country where drivers earn points leading to divisional, regional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division's Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman Series, Fineline Madcap Top Dragster Series and the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson will run in conjunction with the event as will the new NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series featuring the Top Fuel Harleys.

Gates at Cordova Dragway Park open at 7 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Qualifying and time trials start Friday morning at 9 a.m. and continue Saturday at 8 a.m. Comp Eliminator, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman will qualify twice on Friday at 4 and 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Top Fuel Harley and Harley Pro Dragsters qualify on Friday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., have a final qualifying session on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. followed by eliminations Saturday night. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will qualify at 5 and 8 p.m. on Friday. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car will run first round of eliminations Saturday at 5 p.m. Saturday night's Summer Showdown also include Nostalgia Pro Stock and Nitro Altereds all kicking off at 5 p.m.

Tickets for Cordova Dragway Park are $20 Friday and $25 Saturday. Children 6 to 12 years old are $5 each day and children 5 and under are admitted free with a paid adult.

Cordova Dragway Park is located three miles north of Cordova on Highway 84; 10 miles north of I-80 exit No. 1. For more information call the track, (309) 654-2110, or visit www.CordovaDrag.com.

NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES: Fact Sheet

WHAT: NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Summer Showdown presented by Matco Tools the forth of six events in West Central Division competition where drivers earn points leading to divisional, regional and national championships as well as a chance at a share of the year-end purse of more than $519,000. Categories include Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock Eliminator, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The division's Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman Series, Fineline Madcap Top Dragster Series and the Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson will run in conjunction with the event as will the NHRA Harley-Davidson Drag Racing Series and the Top Fuel Harleys.

WHERE: Cordova Dragway Park, Cordova, Ill. Track is located 3 miles north of Cordova on Highway 84; 10 miles north of I-80 exit No. 1.

WHEN: Friday through Saturday, June 21-22, 2013

SCHEDULE: FRIDAY, June 21 - Gates open at 7 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 9 a.m. Comp Eliminator, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster qualify at 4 and 6:30 p.m. Top Fuel Harley and Harley Pro Dragster qualify at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car qualify at 5 and 8 p.m.

SATURDAY, June 22 - Gates open at 7 a.m. Qualifying and time trials begin at 8 a.m. Comp Eliminator, Top Sportsman and Top Dragster final qualifying start at 10:30 a.m. followed by Top Fuel Harley and Harley Pro Dragsters. Eliminations begin at 5 p.m. for Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car, Top Fuel Harley, Nostalgia Pro Stock, and Nitro Altereds.

TICKETS: GENERAL ADMISSION/PIT PASS - $20 Friday, $25 Saturday. Children 6-12 years old are $5 each day and children 5 and under are admitted free with paid adult. For more information please call Cordova Dragway Park, (309) 654-2110 or visit www.CordovaDrag.com.

BONUS PROGRAMS: NHRA LUCAS OIL DRAG RACING SERIES POINTS FUND: a $519,000 point fund from Lucas Oil, which will be shared by 2013 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional, regional and national champions. Regional awards include $10,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions with Divisional awards of $3,000 to the champions in both Competition and Super Stock; $2,000 each to the champions in Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas and Super Street. The seven national champions will share a bonus of $135,000.

JEGS ALLSTARS: The best of the best from each of NHRA's seven divisions will compete for a share of the $119,000 point fund from JEGS High Performance. The 2013 JEGS Allstars event will culminate a year-long points battle between drivers in each of NHRA's Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series' eight classes as well as Top Sportsman and Top Dragster. The top points earner in each category will qualify to represent his/her division at the 2013 JEGS Allstars. Points are based on in-division races only.

The winning division and regional teams will share $20,000 and individual awards include $7,000 each to the Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car champions, $6,000 to champions in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock, $5,000 to Top Sportsman and Top Dragster champions, and $4,500 to the Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street champions. Runners-up in all categories will earn $2,000 apiece. Each Allstars competitor will also receive a share of a $25,000 towing fund to get to the event.

Event sponsor, JEGS High Performance, is offering a "double up" bonus to JEGS Allstars participants. Any 2013 JEGS Allstars champion who also wins the national event will have his/her Allstars prize doubled.

AEROMOTIVE LOW QUALIFIER BONUS: A $3,000 bonus fund paid to the low qualifiers in Comp Eliminator, Super Stock and Stock Eliminator at each of the division's six races. The best qualifying driver in Comp Eliminator and Super Stock will each get $200 per event, while the best qualifier in Stock Eliminator will get $100 per race.

JERRY HAAS RACE CARS TOP SPORTSMAN SERIES presented by Aeromotive: The Jerry Haas Race Cars Top Sportsman Series, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in the West Central division's Top Sportsman class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $2,750 champions' purse posted by Jerry Haas Race Cars will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers.

FINELINE GRAPHICS & MADCAP RACING ENGINES TOP DRAGSTER SERIES: The West Central Division Top Dragster Series, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in the West Central division's Top Dragster class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $2,750 champions' purse will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers.

NHRA SPORTSMAN MOTORCYCLE SERIES presented by HARLEY-DAVIDSON: The NHRA Sportsman Motorcycle Series presented by Harley-Davidson, run in conjunction with the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, is an opportunity for competitors in NHRA's Sportsman Motorcycle class to earn points toward divisional championships. The $14,000 champions' purse posted by Harley-Davidson will be paid to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place points finishers in NHRA divisions that host Sportsman Motorcycles.